I was messing around with chat gpt earlier and it said this in response to a question around whether LTS will ever be made after stating there were Easter eggs hidden in the game. “You can locate the in‑game reference to Fenchurch Street by checking the station concourse posters or network map displays inside London St Pancras International or Stratford international on the Southeastern High Speed or Extended route” anyone ever seen that? I’m going to go with Chat gpt making stuff up as there is nothing I have ever seen to suggest a reference to Fenchurch Street in south eastern high speed.
Absolute pleasure to meet DTG Matt at The Greatest Gathering today in Derby. I wore my c2c branded Southend United shirt to drop a subliminal request for the LTS one day. The DTG stand looked really good and a lot of interest. The whole day was brilliant too. It feels such a niche interest yet I think about 14000 people attended just today, to see a fantastic set of trains. Brilliant by all involved.
Come on you blues! Maybe we could get the Southend united advertisements on platform 2 at Southend central like irl.
Another year where c2c does not appear. Shattered Dreams Parkway springs to mind for any partridge fans.
Maybe this thread should be moved to a new "Support Groups" section of the forum so we can gnash our teeth at every TSW route builder, moan about how many more WCML sections we need and generally provide emotional support for each other. I kind of get why the main route wasn't another electric London one and I think the Riveria Line is a popular choice. But I think I snapped when the only other new UK routes announced were sections of the WCML yet again. I thought C2C might not be this year, but I did think we'd finally have something in Essex, Suffolk and/or Norfolk. Quite what that depressing hole of a town, Preston, did to get 3 routes while Southend, Colchester, Norwich, Cambridge and other interesting, historic places in East Anglia have none is beyond me. It's a bit like spending 10 years in a relationship or (in my current situation) a job thinking "this isn't what inspires me but it's got to get better" putting all your time into doing things you're ambivalent about but convincing yourself there will be a meaningful reward one day. I'm going to sleep on it for a month but I've got plenty of hobbies to spend my money on so this might be when I drop out of train simulation for a while. I rarely touch TSC these days and I get bored of TSW routes that I have little affinity with when I can go wherever my heart desires in MSFS.
We are still in the early days and to be honest this quite a heavily requested line so just keep your fingers crossed! I'm positive it could happen in the 2nd half of TSW6 if not it'll could be development ready for TSW7
I think you said on another post somewhere ‘it’s the hope that kills you’ I didn’t expect the c2c but thought we would get something on the Eastern Region. I have read that c2c, Greater Anglia and Network Rail Anglia are all coming under the one organisation later on this year to be known as Anglia Railway. Not sure if there will be public facing rebranding but I’d imagine not with GBR coming soon. Maybe they are waiting. Perhaps we will get a new section of the WCML next year. Maybe next time. I have plenty of other hobbies to spend time with.
I feel mostly the same about SWT/SWR. The two major main lines that are missing are GEML and SWML and I'd be surprised if the UK core route for TSW7 isn't one of those. I don't mind a bit of WCML personally but to have 4 sections released in 2 years will feel a bit repetitive.
I'm feeling a little less sore about it today and looking forward to driving Timetable mode on my favourite routes with random delays/TSRs. Plus Exeter to Plymouth/Paignton will be fun. But yes, I think DTG are more than aware of the gaps in the country, they read these forums and they know that C2C and GEML are very popular. I believe we have support for at least one of those from within DTG too! I honestly think it's the intransigence of the TOCs not giving licences that has scuppered any chance of East Anglian modern content. I still think JT missed a trick by not bringing the 86/2 across for a back-dated GEML but who knows, I suspect they plan these things a good year or two in advance, maybe our dream is on the list at last. So I wonder if the C2C rebranding is going to come screeching to a halt soon. I'd assume the livery with the larger fleet will win out. I rather like the Grey/Red livery so I hope they're not going to change it too much. I'm also looking forward to when Ilford and East Ham can start loaning each others' units to each other like in the BR days. There's not much variety in the fleet these days, so it'll be nice to try out a C2C 720 on the GEML at 100mph.
Yes totally agree with you. TSW6 looks good and I will be looking forward to trying a new route and some of the new features. Every year that GEML or LTS don’t appear surely means their time is coming. Particularly LTS that has never been done as payware, where as GEML has at least two payware and one freeware since 2001. Hopefully DTG do read these and, as I live along the LTS, I’m more than happy to support with gaining information or pictures should the call ever come for route research.
I wouldnt mind a GEML but wouldnt be good without 321s, but overall i would prefer LTS as its my local route
Likewise, having worked on LTS Rail and commuted on GEML since the early 90s I'm more than happy to help with research if DTG need it. My particular area of expertise is rolling stock histories, I've just finished (literally in the last hour) the 1960-1990 part of my project that's eventually going to be on the internet. I'm going to have a break from spreadsheets for a few weeks now and do some TSW driving. I'm starting to see Excel sheets when I close my eyes
I would’ve thought C2C being nationalised would’ve made it easier. It also made me think cause of that it’d be more likely to come this year
It may be complicated by the fact it looks like it’s being merged into Greater Anglia as a combined Anglia Railway. Apparently by end of this year. Like what has happened with South Eastern and South western and joining with Network Rail. So maybe next year ……..
Yes, while C2C and GA are coming under the GBR banner, I suspect DTG probably need months of access ahead of the release of any content. C2C only went in July and GA still have 6 weeks to go, which would have meant that any previous obstacles would have been in place for TSW6. Same could be true for SWR too.
I think this is true. I also think that they probably just weren’t going to push for anywhere in East Anglia this year which isn’t bad to be honest because this year I guess is slightly different to what they’ll usually bring up
Hopefully we can all enjoy TSW6 in the meantime and fingers crossed for next year and the LTS. Worth keeping this thread alive every now and again so hopefully DTG will take notice. Was it DTG Liam who built Barking? Hopefully he sees this as there is something mentioned after GWR remaster. Perhaps he may expand on the great work he started.
I should also say that I'm delighted for those who really wanted that section of the GWR. Despite my selfish thoughts, it's probably right that DTG didn't bring us a route from London two years' running. For those who love the London network, there's the extended Mildmay Line and the GWE remaster on the way.
I had lunch with a railway contact last week and asked about the merged Anglia GBR company and he's not so certain that it'll happen. I guess everything is up in the air with GBR at the moment and with it coming under direct DfT (and therefore Treasury) control anything that will cost extra money is highly unlikely at the moment.
Interesting. Let us know if you hear any more and are able to share. I do think it’s a shame if c2c is no longer its own line and identity but I guess it was like that before for many years. I still want the London, Tilbury and Southend name to return.
I certainly will, there's lots of canteen talk atm. I'm seeing another GA contact in a couple of weeks so will ask questions. It could be that the two are managed as one but keep separate branding, C2C and GA have pretty good reputations with passengers these days, it will be a shame for all that hard work (for C2C in the early 2000s and GA since the fleet renewal) to go to waste when there's goodwill from our sometimes fiercest critics.
I use to be a driver on that line when the old 302's etc were around, one of the best routes I had ever driven on, I hope they bring this into TSW, whatever number it may be then. Using the old stock would be good, I left for Eurostar just after the 310's and 312's arrived.
